Song of the Blackbird (Albatross Prison #1)

by DB Michaels

  “You must have advanced really quickly.” Emma tossed her hair back and gave him a quizzical look. “I always thought wardens were older. And you don’t look a day over fifty.”

  “Fifty?” Maxim bit back a groan. “Do I look that old?”

  “Just kidding.” Emma laughed, a beautiful, merry sound that seeped into his soul, warming him up from the inside out. “How old are you? Forty-something?”

  “Thirty-nine,” he said. “I know, probably ancient by your standards.”

  “No. Not at all.” Her eyes were thoughtful. “It’s what’s on the inside that counts. How long have you been warden? Was it hard to get there?”

  “It wasn’t difficult. But it took a lot of work.” So she didn’t think he was an old geezer. The warm feeling in Maxim’s chest deepened.

  “How do you become warden? Do you have to go to extra classes or training?”

  “A little bit of both. I had a good mentor. Mr. Peterson, the sergeant at the Urgent Care, remember?” Maxim flicked the turn signal on to make a right lane change. “He showed me the ropes, what classes to take, what exams to sit for, how to get ahead.”

  “How many years have you been warden?”

  “This is my second year.”

  “Seems like you really enjoy your job.”

  “It’s kind of my mission in life,” Maxim confessed, surprised he was revealing so much of himself. But then this was Emma. She made everything easier in a way. “Somebody has to punish the criminals and make them pay. Make sure justice is served.”

  “All the criminals, huh?” Her voice became small.

  “As many as I can get my hands on.” Maxim glanced over, loving the way the moonlight danced on her face. She seemed sadder for some reason, though. And why the heck should that concern him? Why this urgent need to take away her sorrow? He finally made it to the exit and after several minutes commenced the long climb up.

  “Where are we?” she said, her voice brighter. “I feel like I’m at Yosemite or something. Why are we the only ones on the road?”

  “Because it’s private property,” he said.

  “No, really?” She was quiet for a moment and then suddenly clutched his arm. “We’re not trespassing, are we? I don’t want to sneak in just to see a comet.”

  “Don’t worry.” How could her hand feel so soft? He needed to concentrate here. The road had a lot of twists and turns ahead. Maxim pulled his arm away. “We’re not sneaking in. The owner gave me permission to use this place a long time ago.”

  “Okay, that’s good.” She craned her neck out of the window. “It’s nice up here. The air is so fresh. How high up are we? The road is so windy you can easily get motion sickness.”

  He pressed on the brakes. “Are you carsick? Do you want me to slow down?”

  “No. I like the twists and turns. My brother is the one who gets carsick, not me.”

  “The one we’re taking pictures for?”

  “Yes. I only have one. We’re pretty close.” Emma’s voice suddenly dropped. “Thank you for doing this with me. I know he’d appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  After another few minutes, he finished the ascent and pulled up into the driveway.

  “Wow. What is this place?” Emma stared up at the house. “It’s huge. You’re sure the owner is okay with us being here?”

  “Positive.” He opened the car door for her and escorted her through the circular entranceway. “He even gave me a key.”

  “All right.” She looked around nervously. “We should hurry. I don’t want to miss Holmes. Is there a cliff we can climb?”

  Maxim chuckled. “We are on a cliff. Come on, let’s go out to the backyard.” He led her through the foyer and down the long hallway to the back.

  “How big is this place?” She gazed around, her eyes wide. “There’re sculptures and paintings everywhere. Is that an original Van Gogh? Your friend must be super wealthy.”

  “No, but his parents were,” he said. “I can give you a personal tour later, if you like.”

  “No, thanks. I’ve never been into big fancy houses.”

  Maxim stumbled a little and caught himself. “Why? I thought most people liked them.”

  “Not me. A little cottage is all I need,” she said. “With a nice rose garden in the back. Maybe a couple of bedrooms and a porch to sit on to watch the sunset.”

  “I see.” His heart did a little tumble. “I think we’re here. You’ll like the backyard.”

  He opened the French doors and accompanied her out into the brisk night air.

  “This is perfect,” Emma breathed out, her voice full of wonder as she took in the surroundings. “I love all the roses. Are those koi fish swimming underneath us? Oh my goodness, they’re so beautiful.” She sat down and trailed her fingers in the water, touching a lily pad along the way. “I’ve always liked goldfish but these are so much better. They’re huge. Do you think they get to a maximum size or just keep growing?”

  “I never thought about it.” She was so beautiful—it took his breath away. That midnight black hair as it cascaded down her back, those gorgeous emerald eyes that a man could drown in. The woman had cast a spell over him.

  “So are you ready to meet Holmes?” She stood and smiled at him.

  “Holmes?” He blinked a couple of times.

  “The comet. That’s why we’re here, remember?” Emma dashed to the farthest corner of the garden and leaned forward against the balustrade. “It’s perfect. We’re really high up and there’re no clouds tonight.” She shielded her eyes with her hand and looked up. “Shoot. I wish I had my binoculars. I can’t see much. Only a couple of stars.”

  “I can’t see anything either.” Not with you around. Good God. He was in serious trouble. Maxim took in a deep breath. He had to keep his distance somehow. Before he knew it, though, she’d flitted to his side, her light rosewater scent washing over him. He clenched his hand on the balustrade.

  “I still can’t see anything.” She kept gazing up, her attention focused on the sky. “Wait. Was that it? Did you see it, Maxim?” She laid a hand on his arm.

  His whole body stilled. Must she touch him? He felt totally off-kilter, like when he first stepped on dry land after a few days of sailing. She was driving him crazy and she didn’t even know it. He forced himself to look at the sky. Damn. But was that a bright sphere popping up out of nowhere?

  “That’s it!” Emma shrieked. She whipped out her phone and started clicking. “I can’t believe I’m seeing it. It’s never been this bright before. Ever. It’s almost half the size of the moon. My brother will love this. We saw Halley’s Comet together but he was still small back then.” She took dozens of shots before stopping to review them. “Oh, the images aren’t very clear.” Her voice dropped. “He won’t even know what he’s looking at. I should have brought a better camera.”

  A dull ache tugged at his heart. Emma looked devastated. He hoped her brother knew what a gem of a sister she was. “Hey, I remember my friend having a great camera upstairs,” he said, glad of the chance to step away. Even if it was for a few minutes, it should be enough for him to gain back his equilibrium. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind us borrowing it to snap some photos.”

  “Really?” Her wide eyes brimmed with hope, and he knew he was willing to do anything to grant her those pictures.

  Maxim ran up the stairs. Sure, she was his employee and off-limits. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t please her in this one thing, did it? He located the camera and brought it back in time to snap at least a dozen photos before the comet disappeared.

  “Can I see them?” she asked, squeezing close.

  Maxim’s breath hitched. She was so near all he had to do was extend one arm and she’d be snuggled right next to him.

  “Oh, it’s a film camera.” Her warm breath fanned his cheeks. “I guess I have to wait for them to be developed. Can you do it soon?”

  “What?” That rosewater scent was killing him.

&nbs
p; “The film. On second thought, maybe you can give it to me. I’ll develop it and make you copies, if you like.” Emma stepped back and he let out a long breath.

  “No, I can do it for you,” he said, finally catching on to what she was saying. “I’ll get them for you soon. Promise.”

  “Great.” Her eyes darted to the left and then to the right. She cleared her throat. “So should we go? I don’t want to overstay our welcome. What if your friend comes back?”

  “No. Don’t worry. My friend works a lot. He doesn’t come out here much.”

  “Isn’t that crazy?” Emma spread her arms and breathed in the night air. In the distance, he could hear waves crashing against the shore. “How could he not love it here? If I owned this place, I’d be out here every night.”

  “And what would you do out here?” Maxim asked, knowing he was playing with fire but he couldn’t help himself.

  “I don’t know.” She gave a self-conscious shrug. “Maybe read or just look at the sky or enjoy the scenery. I bet the view must be gorgeous when it’s light out.”

  “The view is gorgeous now.” He stared right at her.

  Chapter 18

  Damn it. Had he said that out loud? Maxim turned away and tried to gather his thoughts. “I mean, it’s gorgeous at night, too.”

  Smooth, Max. Really smooth. He shook his head and wiped a hand over his face. All those hours staying up with his father must finally be catching up with him. His mind flitted from one topic to the next, unable to come up with anything neutral to talk about.

  “You look a little tired,” she said. “Maybe we should go.”

  Suddenly something brushed against his leg. He looked down. King’s light yellow eyes glowed back at him. “How are you, my little man?” He bent and scooped the cat up into his arms. “Did you miss me? Sorry I was gone for so long.” He smoothed King’s coat with his palm exactly the way the cat liked it. Sure enough, a loud purr soon followed.

  “Your friend’s cat seems to like you a lot,” Emma said with a note of wonder in her voice.

  “Yes. He does.” Maxim bit back a curse. He shouldn’t have lied about the house. Now it seemed like one lie only fed into another. Why the hell hadn’t he told her the truth in the first place? He’d foolishly thought it’d keep some distance between them but he should have known. Nothing was effective at keeping her at arm’s length.

  “But he looks so much like the cats from the prison. Black coat, yellow eyes.” She did a double take when she saw King fully. “But he’s missing a leg. And half his tail is gone.”

  “The raccoons almost killed him a couple of years ago at the prison.” Maxim rubbed King’s tummy. It’d been a bad day. Thank goodness he’d come in time. The poor cat would have been chewed to pieces.

  “You rescued him from the prison?” Her eyes shone at him with an odd light.

  “Yes, awhile back. Those raccoons can be pretty vicious.” King twisted in his arms. “All right, down you go. Did Ana give you enough food before she left? Are you still hungry?”

  King let out a loud meow before limping away, throwing a curious glance back at the doctor.

  “Ana?” Emma asked.

  “My housekeeper.” Maxim winced. Damn. He should have been more careful.

  “So this means.” Emma swallowed and threw him an accusing look. “This is your house, isn’t it?”

  He was totally busted. No way around it now. He straightened. “Yes. Sorry, I should have said so earlier.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “I don’t know. I thought it might complicate things.” He shrugged. “Does it really matter?”

  “Of course it does.” Emma stepped back and spread her arms wide. “My God. You live in this huge palace. I should have put two and two together. You have a neurology institute named after you, for goodness’ sake. Of course you’d own a place like this.”

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” How dare she criticize him for supporting the hospital? The woman was impossible to please. “So I’m rich. Big deal. It’s nothing to get riled up about.”

  “That’s not the point.” She stomped her foot. “You lied to me. You said this was your friend’s house, and I believed you. I felt nervous the whole time, thinking we were trespassing.”

  “It was my father’s house. He was my friend, so technically, I didn’t lie.”

  “You did and you know it.” She glared at him.

  “Did not.”

  “Just admit it. You lied.” She advanced on him, her hands braced on her hips.

  “Why are you so upset?”

  “Because I can’t stand liars.” She stood toe-to-toe with him.

  “I’m not a liar.”

  “You did it again.” She slapped him on the shoulder.

  “You’re too much, you know that?”

  “I’m the one who’s too much? You’re the one who—”

  He pressed his lips hard against hers, just to shut the woman up. It was either that or strangle her with his hands. It was meant to be quick. But one touch and he was lost. Her lips were soft, malleable. Heavenly. They molded against his and he gentled the pressure, surprised like hell she was kissing him back. She tasted sweet and innocent and so damned good. He licked her bottom lip and groaned when she let out a soft sigh. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.

  She opened her mouth only slightly but that was the only invitation he needed. His tongue dipped into her mouth, tasting every sweet recess. Her soft moans drove him wild. He grabbed the tight seat of her jeans and lifted her off the ground. God. He was losing control but he couldn’t help himself. She wrapped her hands around his neck and tentatively brought her tongue forward. A shudder racked through his body. He bit back a curse when she entwined her legs around him, freeing his hands to explore the rest of her sweet body. Her skin was as smooth as silk. She groaned when he brushed the underside of her breast. The woman was amazing, so responsive to his every touch.

  A loud ringing suddenly sounded. Emma froze before jumping away from him, her hand clasped over her mouth. Dear God, what had he done? Maxim stared at her, horrified. Should he apologize? She was his employee, for Christ’s sake.

  “You should answer that.” Her voice was shaky and she didn’t meet his eyes.

  “What?” he asked, dazed. “Oh, the phone. Right.”

  Maxim pulled the cursed phone out of his pocket. The caller’s words washed over him in a haze. When he finally caught on, the haze disappeared in a flash. Of all the nights, it had to be tonight. He gave his instructions before hanging up. Emma had moved several paces away from him, her purse strap already around her shoulders.

  “I have to go. It’s the prison,” he said, cursing his luck. “Are you okay?”

  “I guess so.” She fiddled with her necklace. “What’s going on at the prison?”

  “They found a stash of heroin near the Eagle gate.”

  “Really? They asked you to come in?” Emma still wouldn’t look at him.

  “No, but I want to. I told them to call if they ever find drugs.” Maxim brushed a hand through his hair. Maybe the interruption hadn’t been that bad, now that he thought more about it. Dear God. He’d almost made love to her a moment ago. Made love to an employee. Sure, she’d responded quite enthusiastically, but he was still her boss. Any relationship between them was impossible. He hoped she’d understand and not get too needy. He’d have to apologize for the kiss, though he didn’t regret it one bit if he had to be honest with himself. She’d been amazing. God. That body. Those lips. That mouth.

  Best kiss of his life and it had to be with an employee. Maxim bit back a groan. She’d expect an apology. That’d also be a good step to resetting the strict boundaries between them. Maxim ushered her out of the house and into the car.

  “I’m sorry about what happened back there,” he stated as soon as they began the climb down the hill.

  “Sorry?” she asked, finally meeting his eyes.

  “I got carried away with t
he moment.”

  “Hmm. Carried away?”

  “Yes. You were yelling and I didn’t know how to make you stop.”

  “So you kissed me to…” She frowned. “To shut me up?”

  “I guess.” He dug a hand through his hair and tugged at his shirt collar. This wasn’t coming out right. “Listen, I hope you understand that can never happen again.”

  Emma looked away, silent. Finally she turned back, her face somber. “I know. I hate the yelling, too.” She gave her head a little shake. “But you bring out the worst in me sometimes. I don’t know why.”

  “I’m not talking about the yelling.” So he brought out the worst in her, did he? Ditto, my dear. Ditto. “I’m talking about the kiss.”

  “Oh, that.” She tossed her long hair back and focused on the road. “I got carried away, too. It didn’t really mean anything.”

  “What?” The most intense, hottest kiss of his life and she thought it meant nothing?

  “I mean it was nice,” she said in a placating voice. “Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed it and all but I know it was a one-off.”

  “One-off?”

  “Yeah. We’re completely wrong for each other.” She flicked at her fingernails. “You’re the last man I’d ever want to date.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Too many reasons to count.”

  “Humor me.”

  “Well, first you’re my boss, right?” She patted him on the arm. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. We both got carried away with the moment. End of story.”

  “So you’re not upset about it?” He should be relieved. She was taking it really well. Better than well. But what the hell were the other reasons? Their work relationship was the only thing he could think of that hindered them.

  He should demand an explanation but a man’s ego can only take so much. Look at her. Playing with her phone, looking like she hadn’t a care in the world. Maybe she kissed men like that all the time. Now didn’t that deliver a kick to his guts.

  “Not really,” she said.